On Saturday 13 September the vision of FIA president Jean Todt to create an all-electric championship sparked into life. Ahead of the historic occasion he spoke about the philosophy behind the series and his hopes for the future…

Can you explain the inspiration behind setting up an all-electric championship?

The world is changing and as the sporting flagship of motorsport we have a responsibility to keep up with those changes. The link between daily mobility and racing is very important.

For me the electric car is really the future of motoring in the cities. And that’s why we began with hosting races in world cities.

The exam was the first race in Beijing. We have been creating very high expectations and in life if you create expectations you must not disappoint. So that’s where we are.

Do you see technology transferring from Formula E to other FIA championships?

We can expect development in batteries, motor technology and security issues that can be transferred with other series such as F1, WEC, etc. So I would say let’s try to develop as much that can be transferred to a city car as possible.

How does Formula E fit on the motorsport ladder or does it stand on its own?

It could be said that FE is more a stand-alone series rather than a new thread included in the single-seater ladder. However, it still does open career pathways for drivers with various backgrounds and has already attracted both young talents and experienced racers.

For me it’s a city, single-seater category, and I’m keen to keep it on a track of its own. You have everything take place in 24 hours. The day before it’s just a normal city, then everything happens for the organisation of the race and then 24 hours later it’s just a memory until next year.

Another unique feature of the series is the plan to leave a lasting legacy behind. How do you feel about that?

It can encourage people to adopt new technologies. At the moment 75 million cars are sold all over the world each year and only 1% is with new energy like an electric car. It’s less than a million cars, but I think we can play an important role in promoting the use of more electric cars in cities.

In what ways can Formula E help with the Campaign for Road Safety?

Each single category of motorsport has to contribute towards road safety. And over the past decades the motor racing community has been doing a lot with regard to road safety and education as well. You would not get into a racing car without putting on a safety belt, without putting on a helmet, so the same applies on the road.

For me a racing driver has to be an ambassador. He has a strong voice. If he says that he will never use a phone or send an SMS while he is driving people will listen more than any other institutional message. For the FIA it’s quite clear. If a racing driver says I go as much as I can to exploit the limit of my car on the circuit, but when I become a normal citizen on the road I will respect the speed limit, it’s a very strong message. They are a hero for young people. For me each champion has a responsibility to be an ambassador.X